Staying Lean On The Holidays

Better: Candy Cane (0.20 oz. = 22 cal, 0g fat) It's their season so give them a chance, especially if they replace chocolate. All hard candy is fat-free. As long as one does not eat them in truckloads, their calorie content will remain low enough to make a great sweet substitute.

Bad: Roasted Pork (4 oz. loin = 420 cal, 35g fat) Some people make it a tradition to eat pork for Christmas, especially individuals of European descent. Even though a nicely roasted piglet looks nice on a full table, it also makes an infallible physique-buster. Months at the gym could go to "waist."

Better: Chicken Breast Kabob (1 stick = 50 cal, 1g fat) Made of 1oz. chicken breasts and an assortment of veggies, chicken-veggie kabobs make very healthy meals. If you're a single guy throwing a Christmas party, chicken breast kabobs will look cooler than roasted pork or turkey any day of the year.

things to watch out for

Dinner buffets Just avoid them. One of those babies can pack on up to 3,000 calories. Need I say more?

Alcohol Alcohol contains empty calories and can lower inhibition in a bad way — a pigging out kind of way.

Hunger Don't go to parties starving. It will not seem impolite if you don't eat much. Drink a tall glass of water 15 minutes before a big meal. This will fill you up (a good tip for anybody wanting to eat less).

Lack of exercise If there is one thing I dislike, it's seeing how many people there are at the gym after the holidays (or the weekend for that matter). They rush to lose weight after the guilt kicks in and hog equipment like sweaty hams! Where are they the rest of the time? Why do they only sprout after the holidays? Do you really think a few days at the gym will compensate for years of body-abuse? If you don't want to see grumpy gym-rats at the gym, exercise regularly. Oh yeah, and it will also keep the weight down.

Dark meat Dark meat generally contains more fat than white meat. Be the first when it comes to digging into the turkey. Dark meat is found near the bone.

Butter Butter is used to profusion during the holiday season. One doesn't have to run around after aunty all day asking if it contains butter; just use common sense. Things like cookies, pie and cake contain loads of the stuff.

no excuses

Now that you are armed with a Christmas battle plan, you have no reason to be part of the yearly statistic that claims that Americans gain 5lbs amid the holidays. There are plenty of things to eat at this time of year, so choose foods that won't make you hit the gym with a guilty conscience after the New Year.